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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23199400">Is it me You're Looking For?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineandCoffee/pseuds/SunshineandCoffee'>SunshineandCoffee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cute, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Getting Together, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Music, Nicknames, Nico di Angelo is a Cute Dork, One Shot, Romance, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:14:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23199400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineandCoffee/pseuds/SunshineandCoffee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where they're adorable dorks, Nico is oblivious and Will is too in love to care about his hair being blue. Fluffy cuddles and kisses ensue.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo &amp; Will Solace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Is it me You're Looking For?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nico realised just how bad he had it for Will when Will's hair turned blue. Yeah, BLUE! And like an electric blue that should've been obnoxious. Except it wasn't. And Nico couldn't really wrap his head around that. A crush (no matter how big it might be) shouldn't really warrant finding blue hair attractive, right?<em> Right? </em></p><p>Nico had been sure he had a healthy dislike for the colour blue after having known Percy Jackson for longer than he cared to admit.</p><p>Yet, here he was, admiring Will Solace, his stupid blue eyes and his even more stupid blue hair.</p><p>In case you're wondering exactly how certified blonde Will Solace got his hair turned to a (supposed-to-be) obnoxious shade of blue, it was an accident. According to the Stoll Brothers. Yeah, and that meant they had possibly bribed someone from the Hecate cabin to make a colourless, odourless dye that would dye the user's hair blue for a day (or two). Or so they claimed (read confessed) when Chiron not-so-subtly dragged them into the infamous "Confession Room" in the Big House. They probably mixed it in the sole shampoo bottle in the Apollo Cabin's bathroom. Will, who was usually the first one to wake up, being Cabin Counsellor and all, was the first and only victim of the prank which was meant to avenge the sad defeat of Team Hermes in Capture the Flag after they played Team Apollo last week. </p><p>Anyway, all that shit went down, leaving Nico beside an adorably pissed off Will Solace at breakfast. (Okay, he had started sitting at the Apollo Table after Will refused to let him eat in peace at the Hades table and <em>no</em>, that's none of your business.) Will was really... attractive when he was angry. His cheeks got flushed and his hands started waving all over the place and he kept running his hands through his (currently blue) hair. </p><p>"... think they are?! Hello? Are you even listening to me, Death Boy."</p><p>
  <em>Snap out of it, di Angelo. </em>
</p><p>"Yes, I am. Don't call me that, Flashlight Guy."</p><p>"What? Why flashlights?", Will asked, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.</p><p>"Because your smile's like a flashlight, Solace. It's so annoying, it could wake a dead man up."</p><p>"Are you saying you like my smile, because if you are, there are better ways of saying it. Anyway, I think you're going soft, di Angelo." And Will levelled an all-too-cocky smirk at him.</p><p>"Am not!", Nico countered, poking Will in the ribs with his skinny elbows. But there was quite a bit of colour on his cheeks. It was probably the heat, Will thought.</p><p>"Are you hot, Nico? Because, I can ask Chiron to let you stay in the infirmary. It's cooler there-"</p><p>At that point, Will noticed Nico had started coughing violently, and he realised what might have been the reason he'd choked on his chocolate milkshake.</p><p>"Oh! I meant temperature wise, but it's not like you aren't actually hot or anything, I-I mean-I'll just stop talking now."</p><p>They focused on the food after that, but the occasional glances they exchanged made Will feel like he'd said something important, because Nico had something in his eyes Will couldn't quite place.</p>
<hr/><p>That night, at the campfire, Nico watched as Will sang alongwith Austin and Kayla. See, Will wasn't even the best singer at camp. But, he got so involved in belting covers of his favourite songs, it was adorable. And that was on ordinary nights.</p><p>Today, Will's (still blue) hair glowed in the fire and he had a goofy grin on his face as he sang "Love on the Weekend". That dimple on his left cheek was going to be the no. 1 cause of Nico's death. </p><p>
  <em>Pull yourself together, di Angelo.</em>
</p><p>As soon as Will caught him staring, he <em>winked </em>at Nico. As if his unfairly captivating face and deep blue eyes weren't enough, he was now also playing the charming card, huh? Well, just kill me already, Nico thought.</p><p>He nodded almost impercetibly, but he could tell Will had noticed as Will's smile grew wider, more lopsided. Nico could feel his cheeks heating up. He tried to hide them with the overgrown bangs that inevitably fell into his eyes. </p><p>Just when he thought the emergency situation had been mitigated, Will started walking towards him, his eyes bright and his smile tentative, a little unsure (but cute all the same...)</p><p>"Hey, di Angelo! I'm glad you're stepping out of your room to socialise these days. Interacting with human beings isn't all that bad, is it?" </p><p>"I wasn't even going to come, but Jason refused to practise sparring with me unless I came to the campfire, the bully."</p><p>"Well, I think Jason deserves all the applause in the world. Tell him I said I'm a fan... No, actually, don't. He has been teasing me relentlessly about the hair." </p><p>"I think the hair's great... I mean- it looks...different, doesn't it." </p><p>"Good different or bad different?", Will asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. And did he look beautiful?</p><p>
  <em>Shut up, stupid brain.</em>
</p><p>"Um... I don't know. I don't think about your hair that much, Solace."</p><p>"Oh, that's a shame, then. It's one of my best qualities."</p><p>"Somebody's quite in love with themselves." </p><p>"No, at least not with myself", Will replied with an attempt at a nonchalant shrug. </p><p>That's when Nico couldn't hold Will's gaze anymore. He noticed that the amphitheatre was now deserted. They were one of the handful of people that had stayed after the songs were over.</p><p>"I should go. I have to ensure the kids don't skewer themselves with their swords tomorrow."</p><p>"Me too. I have a morning shift at the infirmary", Will said, as he stood up dusting his cut-off khaki shorts. </p><p>They walked in a silence that was neither heavy nor awkward. Nico almost reached for Will's hand, but decided not to. Will was just being a good friend. Nico was reading too much into his little gestures. He was kind and considerate to everyone. Nico wasn't a special case or anything.</p><p>Will's hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his contemplation and he held his breath as Will tucked a single stray strand of hair behind Nico's ear. Anyone else would've probably landed straight into the underworld for doing that. Not Will though. </p><p>"'Night, Nico", Will said with one of his gentle, warm smiles that he seemed to save for Nico. </p><p>"'Night, Will", said Nico, starting to jog in the opposite direction before he could do something stupid. </p>
<hr/><p>Nico loved how perfectly balanced his sword felt in his hand, how it almost seemed to be an extension of his arm, how he didn't feel completely useless when he used it. His sword was his second favourite thing/person in the world (after someone with blue eyes and now, matching blue hair).</p><p>But, he absolutely did <em>not</em> like having to teach a bunch of hyperactive 10 year-olds equipped with dangerous weapons, made even more dangerous by their volatile tempers (just because he could be snarky didn't mean he liked it when others were).</p><p>After having had an exceptionally difficult session involving a very angry (obviously) son of Ares and a smirking daughter of Hermes, he trudged back to his cabin. He showered quickly and slipped into a pair of old, grey sweatpants. Just after he had made himself comfortable on his bed with his guitar to keep him company, a knock sounded on the door. </p><p>
  <em>Of course. Amazing timing, right?</em>
</p><p>Pulling himself out of bed very reluctantly, he decided he could either wear a t-shirt or hide his guitar before the person at the door got impatient. He let the guitar be, pulling on a worn black t-shirt instead.</p><p>As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by a mop of unnaturally blue hair. </p><p>"Hey! I just finished my shift at the infirmary. I didn't want to go back to my cabin because there are too many people in there, most of whom will be happy to comment on the blue hair", Will said, rubbing the back of his neck, something he always did when he was nervous. It was really cute.</p><p>Nico forgot how to breathe for a few seconds.</p><p>When he was confident he could construct sentences, he held the door open for Will. "I thought you loved people."</p><p>"I do, but not when I know they're going to tease me ruthlessly."</p><p>"<em>You</em> tease people all the time."</p><p>"I only tease <em>you</em>. And that's totally different."</p><p>Nico could feel the heat rising to his cheeks as Will continued to look at him expectantly.</p><p>Nico walked into the room, gesturing for Will to follow him. </p><p>The first thing Will noticed was Nico's guitar. Just his luck.</p><p>"You play? How come you never told me?"</p><p>"I only started playing again a few weeks ago. I'd lost touch because of all the stuff that happened over the last few years."</p><p>Will looked at him with gentle, kind eyes. Nico sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him, motioning for Will to sit down.</p><p>"It wasn't that difficult once I had refreshed all the chords in my head. It helped a lot with... everything."</p><p>Will knew Nico had nightmares almost every night. He was so glad that music had helped him cope constructively with all the pain and trauma he had gone through over the years. Nico deserved the best. He deserved happiness, peace of mind and above all... he deserved love. How could anyone not love this boy? He smiled rarely, but when he did, it lit up the world. His laugh, Will had recently dicovered, was like music, not perfect but warm and comforting. </p><p>Yeah, Will had it real bad.</p><p>Who could blame him.</p><p>"Play for me?", Will asked tentatively as if he already knew Nico would refuse.</p><p>After a few moments during which Nico stared at him intently (causing a riot of butterflies in his stomach), Nico finally said,</p><p>"What do you like to listen to? Apart from Walking on Sunshine", Nico asked, wrinkling his nose at Will's taste in music.</p><p>"Hey, Walking on Sunshine is a very cool song, okay? But, I like a lot of other artists too. I love Lionel Richie, for instance", Will said, mumbling that last part under his breath. Not a lot of people appreciated the kind of music he liked. It was always "too cliché" or "before their time". So, he didn't know what to expect from Nico. </p><p>Except it wasn't this.</p><p>Nico looked as if he was almost smiling. Then, he started playing an all-too-familiar tune.</p><p>Will almost didn't believe his ears. Almost. But, he'd know that song anywhere. It was his favourite. </p><p>And that's how Will discovered that Nico had a very soft, melodious voice that made him feel warm and he fell in love just a little more with the boy that was sitting in front of him.</p><p>Nico kept peeking at Will at the most crucial moments in the song, all of his favourite parts. When he sang his favourite line, Nico was sure Will was blinking frantically and his eyes were sparkling even more than usual. Nico decided that even though this would be one of the most difficult things he had done in his life, it was all worth it in that moment.</p><p>When he had finished the song, he had cleared his throat, asking Will if he wanted to watch a movie. Will had agreed, on the condition that he would pick the movie. He ended up picking "The Lion King" (Only for the eleventh time...This guy was officially worse than Percy... Maybe not.) </p><p>They settled down on the bed, watching the movie on Nico's laptop, which Leo had gifted him and Will had taught him to use (he wasn't great with technology, really). Will had cried during the post-Wildebeest stampede scene (as usual) and Nico had pretended that he wasn't crying (as usual). Will had also ended up hogging most of the blanket they were sharing, after having claimed that he wasn't going to be cold. And of course, he'd fallen asleep on Nico's shoulder, his (blue) hair tickling Nico's neck. It was all so familiar, and yet so different from the future Nico had thought he'd have. He'd never really imagined having anything like this.</p><p>Anything so right. <em>Anything so Will.</em></p>
<hr/><p>Will opened his eyes and immediately realised where he was. He was with Nico in his cabin. That wasn't just because the Apollo Cabin differed rather drastically from the Hades Cabin in terms of décor (though Cabin 13 was much better after Annabeth had helped Nico redecorate it). It was because he could see Nico's black t-shirt and soft sweatpants and feel his skinny shoulders under his head. He decided on the spot that waking up to the smell of coffee and cinnamon, to soft, sleepy puffs of air in his hair, to <em>Nico</em>, was his favourite thing in the world. Even if it came with a crick in his neck. He couldn't even feel his neck.</p><p>But, he decided to endure it in favour of letting Nico sleep in. He rarely slept through the night. </p><p>Just when he had resigned himself to staring at the tiny beam of sunlight filtering in through the window and thinking up a list of things he loved about Nico (that would take a while...), he felt the boy stir next to him. </p><p>He readjusted his position so he could look at Nico as he woke up. Nico opened his eyes a little, blinked multiple times before he realised where and with whom he was. The second realisation made his eyes go all wide and cute. Then, the look of shock was replaced by a frown and Will's heart plummeted. </p><p>"Why are you looking so cute?", Nico asked, his voice raspy and low, his accent thicker than usual.</p><p>Will realised Sleepy Nico was really... well, let's go with <em>honest</em>.</p><p>Nico blushed as his brain caught up with his mouth and he ran a hand through his hair. The way he always did when he was nervous.</p><p>Before Will could watch what he was saying, his mouth started working on its own. </p><p>"I think I might love you, Sunshine. Just a little bit." </p><p>"Don't call me Sunshine."</p><p>"That's what you got from that sentence."</p><p>"No... I mean... You're going to be the death of me, Solace. It's too early in the morning for this." Nico looked like he was about to faint as he desperately tried to cover his red face with his bangs.</p><p>Will wanted to kiss that flustered face. So he did.</p><p>And just when he was wondering what the hell he was thinking and what if Nico didn't kiss him back, Nico <em>did</em> kiss him back. Slow and sure. They were smiling too much to really kiss, but Will thought it was perfect. And if Nico's smile was any indication, then he agreed.</p><p>They just ended up cuddling on the couch again, till Nico broke the silence. </p><p>"The blue hair was really cool, but I think I like this better." </p><p>And that's when Will realised his hair was back to normal.</p><p>"I never knew you had a thing for blondes."</p><p>"I don't. You're an exception, Will."</p><p>And Will realised how much he loved being an exception. </p><p>Holding Nico like that, his back against Will's chest, his hair tickling Will's chin, his hands in Will's own, Will realised he was the happiest he'd been in a while. And he wasn't going to let go of his Sunshine anytime soon. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading, guys! I hope it made you smile. Do tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions/requests for this ship. Kudos are every writer's best friends. Comments are even better. </p><p>The title is from Lionel Richie's classic song "Hello", which is what Nico sings for Will. </p><p>His favourite part would probably be<br/>"I can see it in your eyes<br/>I can see it in your smile<br/>You're all I've ever wanted, and my arms are open wide<br/>'Cause you know just what to say<br/>And you know just what to do<br/>And I want to tell you so much, I love you!"</p><p>Cute, right?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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